Vehicle construction



Dec. 30, 1930. 1.. UNDERWOOD VEHICLE CONSTRUCTION Filed Jan. 5, 1928 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 avwwntoz Dec. 30, 1930. L. UNDERWOOD VEHICLE CONSTRUCTION Filed Jan. 5, 1928 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 Dec. 30, 1930. L. UNDERWOOD 7 ,1

VEHICLE CONSTRUCTION Filed Jan. 5, 1928 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 Dec. 30; 1930,. Y L. UNDERWOOD VEHICLE cousmucnou Filed Jan. 5. 1928 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 Patented Dec. 30, 1930 UNITED. STATES rnonunnnnwoon. or new YORK, N. v.

I VEHICLE CONSTRUCTION I Application filed January 5, 1928. Serial No.'244e,808.

My present invention relates to vehicle constructions, particularly railway. vehicles and the like, and aims to devise constructions of the general character specified which are simple in construction, which may be readil and conveniently fabricated and assemble and which ma be conveniently and expeditiously a plied like vehicles to trans;

vehicles without the necessity of jacking up the railway vehicle or using some equally laborious and inconvenient method for mak ing the desired conversion. and advantages of the constructions o the present invention will in partbe pointed out in detail hereinafter and will in part be obvious to those skilled in the art to which the present invention relates.

In the accompanying specifications I shall describe and in the annexed drawings showseveral illustrative embodiments of the devices of the present invention. It is, however, to be clearly understood that my invention is not limited to the specific embodiment thereof herein shown and described for purposes of illustration only.

' Referring to the drawings, wherein I have shown the aforesaid illustrative embodiments of the present invention: I

Fig. 1 is a side elevation showing a railway vehicle wheel adaptedfor conversion but before the same has been converted into a road vehicle wheel in. accordance with the principles of the present invention, the road vehicle wheel thus obtained being likewise shown in side elevation in association with one rail of each pair of rails cooperating with the vehicle wheels, in accordance with the principles of the present invention;

Fig. 2 is a cross-sectional view, partly in elevation, taken along line 22 of Fig. 1 of the drawing, showing. the unconverted railway vehicle wheel'in association with the cooperatin rails comprising one of each pair of rails as ereinafter described; 1

Fig. 3 is a cross-sectional view taken along line 33 of Fig. 1 of the-drawingshowing the converted wheel-in association with the sustainin rail in accordance wlth the prinso" ciples oi e present invention; and

to railway, and orm the same into'road Other ob'ects drawing; and

Fig. 4 is a top plan view illustratin the two types of wheels shownin Fig. 1 o the. drawing and showing one pair of unconverted railway vehicle wheels and associated axle together with the two pairs of rails, and 5:. showing also a pair of converted railway vehicle wheels in association with the supporting axle and the sustaining rails;

Fig. 5 is aside elevation of a railway vehicle wheel in association with a segmental e0 tire which may be utilized .for converting such railway vehicle wheel into a road vehicle wheel 1n accordance with the principles of the present invention; V

Fig. 6 is a side elevational view ofthe converted wheel shown in Fig. 5 of the drawing;

Fig. 7 is a cross-sectional View of the unconverted wheel taken along line 7- 7 of Fig. 501? the drawing; and

Fig. 8 is a cross-sectional view of the conto verted wheel taken along line 8-8 of Fig. 6 of the drawing;

Fig. 9 is a side elevation of an unconverted railway vehicle wheel; L

Fig. 10 is a side elevational view of the 7 same showing the ap licationthereto of four segmental tire mem ers for convertin the railway vehicle wheel of Fig. 9 of the raw-. ing into a road vehicle wheel in accordance with the principles of the present invention;

Fig. 11 is a top plan view of the converted yehicle wheel shown in Fig. 10 of the draw- Fig. 12 is a fragmentary side elevatlon of another modification of the present invention as showing a composite wheel which may, in one condition, serve as a railway vehicle wheel and in anothercondition as a road vehicle wheel, embodying conversion members within its own structure, this figure showin the wheel in its condition as a railway ve icle wheel; 4 Fig. 13 is a view similar to Fig. 12 showlng the wheel therein illustrated converted into a road vehicle wheel in accordance withv the principles of the present invention;

taken along line -14- 14.o Fig. -12 of the Fig. 15 is a cross-sectional view taken along line 1515 of Fig. 13 of the drawing.

Referring now to the aforesaid illustrative embodiments of the present invention, and with particular reference to the drawings illustrating said embodiments, and limiting the description for the time being to that one of the embodiments illustrated in Figs. 1 to 4 inclusive of the drawing, 20 indicates a railway vehicle wheel which may be of various types of construction butwhich I prefer shall be-in the form illustrated in Figs. 1 t 4, in-

clusive, of the drawing. As there illustrated the railway vehicle wheel comprises a hub portion 21 for receiving the axle of the wheel carriage in the usual manner, as will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art to which the present invention relates. The

wheel 20 embodies what may be termed'the stitute the supporting means for the tire by means of which the railway vehicle wheel 20 is converted into a road vehicle wheel in accordance with the principles of the present invention, as subsequently pointed out in considerable detail herein. To assist in applying the tire which is to convert the railway vehicle wheel into a road vehicle wheel in accordance with the principles of the present invention, I may provide auxiliary positioning means which are subsequently described in considerable detail herein.

In order to permit the conversion of the railway vehicle wheel 20 into the road vehicle wheel in accordance with the principles of the present invention without the necessity of jacking up the railway vehicle Wheel for.

such conversion or adopting some equally laborious method for this purpose, I prefer to provide a lurality of pairs of rails, preferably of difi erent gauges. For example, I may employ a pair of rails which are the'usual or standard rails carried by the ties 31 and which are engagedjin the usual manner by the outer. tread portions 24 of the railway vehicle wheels 20. The gauge of the standard rails 30 is preferably greater than the gauge of the auxiliary rails 32, which latter en age .the'i'nner tread portions 25 of the rai way vehicle wheels 20. In order to eflect this arrangement conveniently, I prefer that the terminal-portions 30 of the standard rails 30 shall receive between them the terminal portions 32' of the auxiliary rails32, as more clearly shown in Fig. 4 of the drawing. I also prefer that the hei ht of the auxiliary rails 32 above their roadfied shall be substantially in excess of the height of the standard rails 30 above their supporting ties 31. This is so that when the railway vehicle wheels 20 are moved from their position on the terminal portions 30 of the standard rails 30 onto the terminal portions 32 of the auxiliaryrails 32 for the conversion of the railway vehicle wheel into a road vehicle wheel, there will be suflicient clearance without the use of jacks and other cumbersome apparatus for the conversion of the railway vehicle wheel into the road vehicle wheel in accordance with the principles of the present invention.

'While various types of removable tires and auxiliary wheels supporting the same may be employed within the limits of the present invention, as defined in the appended claims, I prefer to employ an auxiliary wheel of the type generally designated by reference character 40 carrying the tire 41 by means of which the railway vehicle wheel 20 is converted into the road vehicle wheel generally designated by reference character 50. The auxiliary wheel 40 preferably comprises the hub portion 42 and the associated spider 43. Intermediate the spokes of the spider 43 are a plurality of socket portions 44 for receiving the pins constituting the auxiliary tire-positionin means subsequently described in considera le detail. While any desired number of pin-receiving sockets 44 may be employed, Iaprefer to employ the arrangement of such sockets shown in Fig. 1 of the drawing where six-such sockets are shown intermediate the spokes 43' of the spider 43.

At the periphery of the auxiliary wheel 40 there is a felloe band 45 which preferably is of substantially U-shaped cross-section and which has "the inwardly turned edge portions I 46 and 47 by means of which the tire proper, generally designated by reference character 41, may be suitably clinched or otherwise suitably retained in position on the auxiliary wheel 40. It may here'be stated that the tire proper 41 may, and generally does, comprise a solid rubber tire of suitable material and strength to stand efficiently wear and tear on the road under considerable weights.

In addition to the outer tire-engagings flange portion 24 I prefer to embody in my wheel construction auxiliary means for retaining the auxiliary wheel 40 and associated tire 41 in place of the railway vehicle-wheel 20 in the conversion of the latter into a road vehicle wheel. While various means may be employed for this purpose, I prefer to employ the means generally designated by reference character 60 and constituting a series of pins til adapted to fit snugly into the pin-receiving sockets 44. Accordingly the pins 61 will equal in number and in position the position of the pin-receiving lvided with a suitable number of railway vehicle wheels 20 mounted on axles 27 in accordance with the usual construction of railway carriages, and assuming that the vehicle embodying the axles 27 and the'railway vehicle wheels 20 carried thereby has reached its destination as far as rail transportation is concerned and that it is desired to convert the same into a road vehicle, the axle 27 carrying the railway vehicle wheels 20 is now moved to the extremit of the terminal portion 30 of the stan ard rails 30 which are shallower than the enclosedauxiliary rails 32. In this position of the desired conversion of the railway vehicle wheels 20 into the road vehicle wheels 50 and vice versa. In this position of the parts with the rim portion 23 of the railway vehicle wheel 20 clear of the roadbed supporting the auxiliary rails 32 of more than average depth, the auxiliary wheel 40 and the tire/41 carried thereby may be conveniently applied over the outer flange portion 24, with the pins 61 fitting into the m-receiving sockets 44 in the conversion 0 the railway vehicle wheel 20 into the road vehicle wheel It may here be stated that any additional or substituted locking meansof any usual or desired construction may be employed for locking the auxiliarv wheel 40 carrying the tire 41 in place on the hub portion 21 of the railway'vehicle wheel 20.

For example, in place of the pins 61, I may use threaded bolts which ,may pass through apertures in the auxiliary wheel structure instead of into sockets of the same, the outer free ends of the portions 61 being adapted to be engaged by suitable nuts, all as will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art to which the present invention relates.

The vehicle is now ready for the road and may be conveniently moved onto the road by rolling it alongthe auxiliary rails 32 until the wheels are free of such rails and usual roadbed. Here it may be pulled by tractor or otherwise as a trailer to its ultimate destination where its freight may be unloaded, or, if it is intended to be loaded, where its freight may be received. Thereupon it may in the same manner be brought back to the spur of track from which it was removed and by a reverse series of operations may be converted back into a rail way vehicle, as by rolling it onto the auxiliary rails 32, in which position the auxiliary wheels 40 carying the respective tire members 41 may be removed, after which it may be rolled back onto the terminal porcycle of conversion is complete.

This completes the description of the mode 1' of conversion and utilization of the vehicle construction of the present invention, as exemplified in the aforesaid illustrative embodiment of the same. It will be noted that such construction is simple and may be readily and conveniently employed, either for railway or for road transportation, without the use of jacks and other laborious implements for the conversion of the vehicle from the one type to the other. Other superiorities and advantages of the present inven tion as exemplified in the aforesaid illustrative embodiment of the same will readily occur to those skilled in the art to which the present invention relates.

' Referring now to Figs. 5 to 8,-inclusive, of the drawing, illustrating a. second illustrative embodiment of the present invention, 20' indicates a railway vehicle wheel which, like the railway vehicle wheel 20 illustrated in Figs. 1 to 4, inclusive, ofthe drawing, comprises a hub portion 21, a main body por- 7 tion 22, an outer rim portion 23', an outer tread portion 24 and an inner tread portion 25' separated from the outer tread portion 24' by the intermediate rib portion 26. Here rails 30" of the usual construction,common- 1y designated-as standard rails, may be employed. 30" indicate the terminal portions of such rails. A

In order to convert the railway wheel 20' into the road vehicle wheel 30 illustrated in Figs. 6 and 8 of the drawing, I prefer to emfploy the means. generally designated by re erence character 40 and comprising a series of associated segmental tire members 41'. I prefer that the segmental tire members 41' shall be hingedly associated by means of the intermediate hinges 42 joining successive segments 41 together.

While various types of construction of 7125' such segmental tire member41' comprises a rimsection 43 shaped somewhat in the form of a W in cross-section and having the intermediaterib-receiving channel portion 44' the means illustrated in the 49' are ears on each side of the series 40 of and the inwardly turned edge and 46' for receiving-and retaining the segmental tire portion47' of rubber or other suitable resilient material. It may here be stated that the rib-receiving channel portion 44' is intended to receive the rib 26' of the railway vehicle wheel 20', which rib 26 has a snug or even tight fit in the channel 44.

I provide means, generally designated by reference character 4.8, for binding together the ends of the series 40 of segmental members 41'. While various means may be em- .ployed for this purpose I refer .to utilize d i'awin'g in which segments 41' so that there are two such airs of ears, between which on each side 0 the wheel is secured winching and securing gear 49 in a manner which will readily occur to those skilled in the art to which the present invention relates, there being two such sets of winchin and securing gears, one on each side of the w eel. v

, It may here be stated that the winching and securin gears 49"- preferably comprise oppositely tfireaded bolt members which thus serve by their cooperation'to counteract any tendency of the rod to loosen the series of segments from the supporting railway vehicle wheel. The free threaded ends of the oppositely threaded bolt members engage internally threaded portions of the cars 49, in a manner which will bereadily apparent to those skilled .in the art to which the present invention relates.

necessary to be shown, are in position on the terminals '30 of the standard rails 30" and that two series 40 of segments 41' have been laid along the roadbed as continuations of the-standard rails 30", whose depth such series 40' approximately equal, the vehicle wheels 20' are advanced until they engage and have passed onto one end of each series 40 .clear of theterminal portions 30"" of the standard rails 30". In' this position of the parts the free end of each series 40 is passed over the periphery 23' of the corresponding 49" constituting the securing mechanism 48 wheel 20' and the free ends carrying the ears 49 on both sides of the same are now omed together by the winching and securing gear? ortions 45' relates. y

In this manner each pair of wheels may be converted from a pair of railway vehicle wheels into a pair of road vehicle wheels. When .the' conversion is complete the vehicle will be positoned on the usual roadon which it may proceed, as a trailer pulled by a tractor or by its own power, or in any other suitable manner, to its ultimate destination. There, as in the case of the preceding embodiment already described, it may be unloaded, or may be loaded with freight, and returned to the spur of railroad from which it has been removed, where, by a reverse series of operations, the series 40 of tire segments 41' may be removed and the vehicle converted into a railway vehicle positioned on the standard rails 30"" without the use of jacks or other tedious mechanism for effecting either of the necessary conversions. V

Referring now to the third' illustrative embodiment of the presentipvention illustrated in Figs. 9, 10 and 11 of,the drawing, the railway vehicle wheel, generally designated by reference character 70, may be constructed similarly to the vehicle wheel'QO illustrated in Figs. 5, 6, 7 and 8 of the drawing. so constructed, the railway vehicle wheel comprises the liub portion 71, the

main body ortion 72, and the rim ortion 73, constructed in and arran ed in tiie manner already described in the ase of the railway vehicle wheel 20.

Here the conversion means, generally designated by reference character 74, com rises the end tire segments 7 4' and 74=" and t e intermediate tire segments 75. and 75". The segments 74, 74", 75vand- 75" are preferably each in the form of a quadrant comprising a segmental tire-receiving felloe band portion 75 and the contained tire portion 76 of solid rubber or like resilient material, somewhat after the manner of construction of the segments 41' making u each series of segments 40 illustrated in igs. 5 to 8 in elusive, of the'drawing and described in deas will be readil apparent to those skilled 4 'in'the art to w ich the present invention tail above. In other words, each felloe band segment 75 contains a channel or depression for receiving'the intermediate rim 73 of therailway vehicle wheel 70 and embodies also the usual edge portions for receiving in firm position the tire segment 76.

In order to fit the-various tire segments 75 together, I may provide oneend'of each of the segments 74 and 74" with a tongue 77 and theopposed ends of the remaining segments 75' and 7 5" with grooves 77 for receiving the tongues 77 to'lock the opposed ends in position. Similarl the remaining end of the segment 7 5 ma e provided with a tongue 77 which may e received in the groove 77' on the o posed and of the other segment 757. In ot er words each segment to which the present invention relates.

'may here further be stated that 7 0' comprise is applied in 'aperpendicular sense to the railway vehicle wheel 70, one segment being ut on after the other, the first segment beore the railway vehicle wheel 70 has left the termmal portion of the supporting rail, the next segment locked to the free end of the first segment by the tongue and groove arrangement described above, the next segment locked to the free end of the second segment in the same manner, and the fourth segment locked to the free end of the first segment in a similar manner.

I providemeans for locking the free ends of thesegments 74 and 74 together, when all of the segments are in position. While various means may be employed for this purpose, I prefer to employ the means illustrated in the drawing and comprising preferably the oppositely threaded screw portions 7 9 and 79", in a manner which will be readily apparent to. those skilled in the art to which the present invention relates.

It may be here stated that the oppositely threaded portions 7 9' and 7 9" may comprise bolts the free threaded ends of which pass into sockets where they are retained by means of suitablenuts, in a manner which will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art It bolts, such as hexagonal headed bolts or the l1ke, passmg through suitably threaded ears 70", the free inner ends of such bolts engaging the main body portion of the wheel ,0 within the rim portion 7 3 of the same for holding the tire segments in place. However, it is clear that other suitable means for" holding such segments in lace may be utilized, within the spirit of t 1e present invention and embodying the principles of the same. 1

This completes the description of the third of the aforesaid illustrative embodiments of the present invention. It will be noted that this embodiment is also simple in construction and may be readil and conveniently fabricated and assemble In applying the same to the railway vehicle wheel with which it is intended to be ap lied for converting the same into a road vehlcle wheel, each successive segment of each tire is applied in succession and joined to the rece ng segment in the manner indicated a ove,after which'the free ends of the first and last segments are locked together so that the tire is securely positioned on its wheel. By this time the wheel has been rolled'ofi' of the terminal portion of the rail by which it was supported and by repeating this operation for each of the railway vehicle wheels the vehicle has been converted into a road vehicle which may be drawn or otherwise propelled to its ultimate destination where it is unloaded or loaded, as the case may be, and thereafter returned to the rails where, by the reverse sedrawing, the railway vehicle wheel, there generally designated by reference character 80, comprises the hub portion 81, the main body portion 82 and the rim portion 83 comprising the outer tread portion 84 and the inner flange portion 85 separatedfrom the outer tread portion 84 by the intermediate rib 86. In other words, the wheel illustrated in Figs. 12 to 15, inclusive, of the drawing is of substantially the same construction as that illustrated in Figs. 5 to 11, inclusive, of the drawing.

In the present instance, however, the means, generally designated by reference character 87, for converting the railway vehicle wheel 80'from a railway vehicle wheel into a road vehicle wheel, and vice versa, is embodied in the wheel construction itself.- Here also such conversion means, as in the case of the illustrative embodiments of the invention illustrated in Figs. 5 to 8, inclusive, and in Figs. 9 to 11, inclusive, of the drawing, comprises a series 88 of segments 89 and. 90,, the segments 88 being normally positioned on one side of the railway vehicle wheel 80 and the segments 90 being normally positioned on the other side of the railway vehicle wheel 80 in alternating or sta gered position with respect to the segments 0 the first series.

While the segments themselves may be constructed in various ways, I prefer that the same shall be constructed somewhat similarly to the segments 41 making up theseries of segmentsAO' in the form of the invention segments 89 and 90 preferably com rises the felloe band portion 91 provided wit the ribreceiving channel 91' and having the lateral portions 92 whose edge portions 92 extend 1nwardly andthus clinch or bind the tire segment 93, substantially in the manner already described.

As already stated, the segments 89 of one series are on one side of the wheel 80 in alternate position with respect to the segments 90 on the other side of the wheel 80. I provide means. for normally maintaining the segments 89 and 90 of thetwo series in folded or inoperative position, in which position the wheel 80 serves in its'original function as a railway vehicle wheel. While various means,

generally designated by reference character and pivoted at its otherend 98' to the eyelet 98 forming apart of the body portion 81 of the vehicle wheel 80. In order to maintain the rim and tire segments 91 and 93, respectively, in operative position on the tread portions 84 and 85 over the rib portion 86 of the railway vehicle wheel 80 in the conversion of the latter into a road vehicle wheel, I utilize the same lacing. 94 cooperating with the eyelets 99 forming extensions of the outer ends of the rim segments 91, all as more clearly shown in Figs. 14 and 15 of the-drawing.

This completes the description of the construction of the aforesaid illustrative embodiment of the present invention. It will be noted that such construction is simple and may be readil and conveniently fabricated and assemble In the conversion of the railway vehicle'wheel 80 into a road vehicle wheel, as the railway vehicle wheel 80 approaches the end of the supporting rail, segment after segment of the series ofsegments 89 and 90 is swung by its respective hinged support into a position where the channel 91' will receive the rib 86. Thereupon, by means of the lacing 94, the various segments may be securely positioned in operative position on the periphery of the wheel 80.

By this time the wheel is free from the supporting rail. When this operation has been completed foreach of the wheels, the vehicle is now a road vehicle which may be pulled by a tractor or otherwise pro elled to its ultimate destination, there to e loaded or unloaded, as the case may be, and thereafter returned to the siding where, by a reverse series of operations, the vehicle may be re-converted from a road vehicle into a railway veh1cle.

This completes the descriptions of the aforesaid illustrative embodiments of the present invention. As already indicated above, such embodiments are characterized by their simplicity in construction and the ease and convenience with which the same ma be fabricated, assembled and operated. he conversion of the various types of vehicles illustrated in the drawing and described above mayin each instance be made without the the use of jacks and other cumbersome and tedious apparatus. Furthermore, the con structions described above are such as should be altogether practical and such also as save time and labor in the conversion of the vehicle from the railway to the road t pe, and vice versa, in its use for loading an unloadmg goods and merchandise. Other advan present invention will readily occur to those present inventreads and an intermeperipheral portion provided with inner and outer rail-engaging treads and an intermediate circumferentlally dis osed rib, in combination with a removab e -au xiliary road wheel and associated tire engaglng the outer one of said rail-engaging treads, said mam wheel body being provided with a' plurality of transversely-extending pins and said auxiliary road wheel being provided with a plurality of pin-receiving sleeves for receiving said pins.

3. Means for convertin a rail vehicle wheel into a road vehicle-w heel, comprising, in combination, a rail vehicle wheel, an auxiliary road vehicle wheel portion, and means permitting the application of said auxiliary road *vehicle wheel portion to said rail vehicle wheel without elevating said rail vehicle wheel above the level of the rail supporting the same.

4. In combination, a plurality of associated pairs of rails of different gauges, the pair 0 rails of narrower gauge being p0- sitioned within the pair of rails of wider gauge, in combination with a pair of rail vehicle wheels each comprising a main wheel body and a peripheral portion provided wlth inner and outer rail-engaging treads and an intermediate circumferentially disposed. rib.

5. In combination, a plurality of associated airs of rails of difi'erent gauges, the pair 0 rails of narrower auge being 0- sitioned within the pair of rails of wi e r gauge, in combination with a pair of rail vehicle wheels each comprising a main wheel body and a peripheral portion provided with inner and outer rail-engaging treads and an intermediate circumferentiall disposed rib, the outer rail-engaging treads of said rail vehicle wheels engaging the outer pair of rails and the inner rail-engaging flanges of said rail vehicle'wheels engaging the inner pair of rails;

6. In combination, a plurality of associated pairs of rails of different gauges, the

the outer rail-engaging treads of said rail vehicle wheels engaging the outer pair of rails and the inner rail-engaging flanges of said rail'vehicle wheels engaging the inner pair of rails, in combination alsowith anauxiliary road vehicle wheel portion removably applied to each of said rail vehicle wheels.

In testimony whereof, I have signed my 10 name to this specification this 30th day of December, 1927. LEON UNDERWOOD. 

